Breech-operating mechanism for automatic firearms.



L. SUHMEISSER. BREEDH OPERATING MEGEANISM PoR AUTOMATIC HBBARMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1911.

Patented Spt. 5,1911.

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UmrED sri-*iras PATET GFFIC.

LOUIS SCHMEISSER, F .ERFURT, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR T0 RHEINISCHE METALL- WAAREN- UND MASCHINENFABRIK, 0F DUSSELDORF-DERENDORF, GERMANY, A

.GORPORATION 0F GERMANY.

Lunares..

Specicaton of 'Letters Patent.-

Paeentea sept. a,Y 1911.

Application led .Tune 15, 1911. Serial No. 633,298.

To all :who/m it may concern.' I

Be 1t known that I, Louis SCHMEISSER, engineer, a subject of the German Emperor,

residing 4at S Strassburgerstrasse, Erfurt,

Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Breech-0perating Mechanism of Automatic Firearms; and I do h'ereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptiorlpf the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the. same.

The invention relates to a device for the connection-and disconnection of the return spring and breech block in automatic firearms with stationary barrels and-recoiling breech blocks, and the invention differs from other devices of the same kind in that, a

' member, which carries both the rear and front sights, is pivoted to the breech block and a projection on this member engages with a corresponding projection on a sleeve of the return spring to connect the said.

breech block and return spring.

The accompanying drawings' show a construction according to the invention as applied to a pistol of. the type referred to.

Figure 1 is an elevation as seen from the d breech block G 1s agaln pushed forward by is screwed intothe frame, and the return,

springl surrounds the barrel. This spring rests at its rear end against a flange of the barrel C and'at Vits forward end against a flange ofthe sleeve E'which sleeve is free to slide in the tubular part of the .frame A (Figs. l and 4). The return spring sleevev E, which surrounds the barrel C and the return spring D, has projections at its ends, which slide in a corresponding groove of the 'frame A, (Fig. .-5) and prevent the sleeve from rotating. The sleeve E is prevented from being forced. out of the frame by the` pressure of the spring D by meansof a nut F `screwed to the forward endV of the barrel. The breech-'block G, which slides in the frame A, is forked at the front end and carries in this forkv an arm H, which is linked to the breech .block G by the pin g. This arm H, which forms an upper covering for the frame A, carries at its forward end/the front sight and at the rear end forms the back sight. On the under side of the arm H toward the forward end is a rounded projection k which fits into a corresponding recess e in the rear projection of the return spring. sleeve E, in order that the forward pressure o'f the return spring, acting on 4the sleeve E shall be transmitted tothe breech block G and that the arm H shall be maintained in pressure. Since the spring D, when constructed for large charges, is too powerful to. allow the breech block G to be vopenedby hand for the purpose of vloading the weapon and the'like, the arm H is held by the rear end which `is formed into a grip, when the weapon has to be operated, and this end of the 'arm H is raised until the projection h is out of engagement with the recess e of the spring sleeve E, which then disconnects the spring D and allows the breech block to be easilydrawn back into the open position Fig. 4) by means of the arm H. When the Jneans of the 4arm H, the lock is under tension and the uppermost cartridge in the breech block into the barrel in known manner. brought into its forward closed position and the rear end of the arm H has been pressed rounded nose h of the arm' H presses against the rear projections. of the sleeve AE and forcesthem back until the nose h snaps into the recess e by the pressure of the spring D.

the breech blocklG'and holds'the gar'm H in now-'loade firing.v A

Having ascertained the nature` of my said'invention and tin what manner the same is to be performed, I declarel that what I claim is:

l In an automatic firearm having a Xed barrel'a'nd a recoiling breech block, a member movable longitudinally of the barrel, a recoil spring acting on said member, and a second .lockedv 'and shut and ready for the closed position (Fig. l) by the same' magazine' is brought by the head of the,

down into the position shown in Fig. 1, the

After the breech block has been Thev return spring is again connected with the closed o sition 1).; The'weapon is .10o now particularly described and member pivoted lto the breech block and de? tachably engaging with the rst mentioned 4 member forfconnecting the recoil spring to the breech`block.-

Arecoil spring acting on said lsleeve,` and av i' member pivoted to s aidbreech block and den tachablyengaging said sleeve.

l' 3.' In anautomatic rearm having a ixed .barrel anda recoilingbreech block, a sleeve movable' longitudinally of saidV barrel and having a projection, a recoil spring acting on said sleeve, and a memberpivoted to said 4breech block and having a projection for interlocking with the projection of said sleeve.

4. In an. automat-1c firearm having a xed barrel and a recoiling breechiblock, a por-A tion whereof normally lies in proximity to the outer end of the barrel, asleeve movable longitudinally of said barrel, a recoil spring I acting on said sleeve, a stop for limiting the movement of said-sleeve on said barrel, said sleeve havinga projection at its rear end, and an arm'pivoted to the'breech block at a point adjacent its forward 'end and having on its underside a projection for interlock*- ing with the projection of said sleeve.

In testimony whereof, I have signed .this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

LOUIS SCHMEISS'ER. Witnesses:

' HENRY HASPER,

' WoLDEMAR HAUPT.

Copies of, this patent may be obtained forA ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

